I feel like committing suicide after finding out how far my former classmates have gone in life?

I'm 28. It's been 10 years since I finished high school. In all that time I've done nothing. I'm single with no children. I've accumulated over $40,000 of student debt. I haven't graduated from university, but have accumulated a horrible permanent academic record. I've never held a real

I'm 28. It's been 10 years since I finished high school. In all that time I've done nothing. I'm single with no children. I've accumulated over $40,000 of student debt. I haven't graduated from university, but have accumulated a horrible permanent academic record. I've never held a real job, and thus have no real work experience. I still live with, and off, my parents. I'm out of shape and unattractive.

One of my former classmates is an expat, assistant vice president of a major bank overseas. She earns around $110,000 a year and she's my age. Another ex-classmate is a portfolio manager dealing with a couple million dollars of a major university's money. Another is making $70,000 as a marketing analyst and doing a master's at Johns Hopkins. Another will have his PhD in data science a year. Pharmacists, engineers, big finance types, who went to universities like Columbia, UC and UPenn.

Of course, some of them f**ked up. One works in a bar, while the other is a high school teacher. One is a mechanic. One studied theater at a very prestigious university and has only gotten one laughable 4-second role as an extra on a TV series. But most of them succeeded.

Ten years ago most of my classmates were drooling morons who could f**k up a cup of coffee, and I was the smartest. I had the highest SAT score my school had ever seen. Everyone thought I was some kind of genius who would have a brilliant and very moneyed future. Ten years later, I'm the one who f**ked up the worst.

Other answer:

Floyd Gilmour:
You just need a little peace in your life. Ignore all these mean and hateful people in the comments, i'm sure you're a great person who just needs some support. We all reach a point in our life where we need a helping hand, so there's no shame in that. Your former classmates are successful in their own way, but that doesn't mean you can't be either. That was their path to take, now you just need to find yours. Take a look at your life and ask yourself what will make you the happiest. Do you need a high paying job to be happy? Or are you simply longing for adventure. As the great John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" so instead of focusing on the what if's and what not's, go out there and be happy. Focus on your life and your goals and not the accomplishments of others. Take everything one day at a time and go at your own pace. Trust me things will be better.

Wicked Knife and Fork:
I am not being critical but please look at your question. You seem to present the world view that only wealth and material possessions equals success. You said the high school teacher was a failure. Well you used different terminology but anyway. Think about this. All your classmates and you are "failures". Because you didn't say anyone was seeking to find and do the will of God. You didn't say how Christlike anyone was seeking to become. You didn't say what anyone was doing to lead others to Christ and eternal life. The good news is you can stop being a failure right now by accepting Christ as savior and Lord and living for Him. Read the book of John in the Christian Bible and repent and believe in Jesus. First admit you are a sinner and need God's forgiveness. Believe that Jesus death on the cross paid the penalty for your sin and trust in Him completely for salvation. Call on Christ to come into your life and transform you. Confess your faith to others.

J:
I feel exactly the same way at times!! You have no idea how much. But comparing yourself to others is always going to end in pain and dissapointment. Try to remember this when you're feeling low: There will always be someone better off and worse off than I. It helps a bit. I am on the unhealthy, crappy job, crappy home life, 1/2 educated situation as well. I agree that I am so low there is only 1 place to go; up. So pick yourself up, dust off, and start right now to do better for yourself! You can still make a difference. It's going to take hard work so you gotta ask yourself if you're cut out for it.

Michael:
The situation: You- 28. HS grad, done nothing, single with no children- $40,000 of student debt, – I've never held a real job. I still live with, and off, my parents. I'm out of shape and unattractive. Best SAT…and smart, but horrible permanent academic record.

Missing facts: Why? Why have you not had a job, or graduated from college, and are out of shape. Unless you have medical or mental problems-I don’t care.

The solution: You have a lot of basic issues that sound like you just feel sorry for yourself. Something got you off the feel good about myself train. The good news is that you can only go up. Set a goal to get into shape and start doing positive things, at this point anything. Work hard to get yourself in shape, it will do great things for your self esteem. Stop comparing yourself to others. Set the right habits, I strongly suggest you read Change Anything by Kerry Patterson.

I also suggest you read my book, One Million in the Bank: How To Make $1,000,000 With Your Own Business, Even If You Have No Money Or Experience by Michael L.F. Slavin.(on Amazon) It will tell you how to start an everyday business, even if you have no money or experience. I tell you how to find the money from undiscovered investors. Plus I tell you how to get free help and classes to teach you what you need to know, mainly from SCORE.org and SBDC.gov.

I strongly recommend you also get a sales job. It will make you feel good to earn some money and give you valuable experience for your own business. There are 12 very inspirational stories that are also case studies telling you how to do it. One is a Mexican immigrant with no money, no experience, he started a plant nursery with nothing and was offer $7,000,000 for his business 8 years later, it is now worth $14,000,000+. He also has made 4 of his brothers millionaires by showing them what he did.

It is never too late. Good luck.
Mike

Robin:
30. single. no children. $25,000 student debt. Could be in better shape. Unhappy in my job and want to leave. Have no idea how my classmates are getting on – why? Oh, because I don't care. I'm not interested in comparing myself to others or bowing to society's idea of success. I am on my own path; have passions, ambitions and goals. I am the happiest I have ever been. It's all about your mind set. You should be in competition with yourself and improving on who you were yesterday, not those around you.

Take one thing you don't like about yourself currently – say your body. Put everything you can into getting as fit and lean as possible. Make that happen then move on to the next thing. You can't transform everything at once. You have brains. Make SMART goals. Let your frustration and pain fuel you into action and transformation.

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly."

John:
"Of course, some of them f**ked up. One works in a bar, while the other is a high school teacher. One is a mechanic. One studied theater at a very prestigious university and has only gotten one laughable 4-second role as an extra on a TV series. But most of them succeeded."

You are VERY FAR from being a genius, if you think that a high school teacher and mechanic have messed up, because of their jobs. That teacher may love his/her job and make fairly decent money at it. That mechanic may be making $100K/yr. and/or simply love what he/she is doing. You sound like an imbecile, ttytt. Get an attitude adjustment and maybe you'll be able to turn your crappy life around. You've brought this stuff on yourself, probably because of your "tude." If all else fails, and you want to opt out because you think you're a failure, don't make a mess of it! Then again, apply yourself, move out on your own, ditch academia, as it sounds like it's not a good fit for you, and get a job you enjoy. Things may just fall into place, for you.

prem:
Don't worry. They should be jealous of you because you're life is not perfect Your life is special because you've so many troubles and so you have a motivation. Life shouldn't be perfect. No one should be like just getting a job which gives 15000$ a month and continue to do that until retirement. That 'perfect' life is a complete waste of a life. Life should be adventurous and one should never 'settle' in life. No one should think like getting a decent job, having children, going to to work everyday, and getting your salary at the end of the month. TOTAL WASTE!!!
Think of life just as continuing to breathe and doing whatever you want to until it doesn't hurt anyone else. It's just about survival, keeping yourself entertained, keeping life adventurous AND 'NOT SETTLING'.
Just think of the ways you can earn money that will also be fun to do. I'm sure you'll find many ways. If you lose money, then nothing to worry because as long as you're breathing you're on the positive side of life. Things could always be worse.

Eddy:
Wait a minute. Put down that gun. I have news for you. You are probably the most gifted "writer" I have seen in ten years. I don't know where good writers should go to find work but you are overdue to be writing. You probably live in some village high in the interior of Pennsylvania? Are there any newspapers around there? Run, hop, skip and jump into their door and apply. Show them a sample of your work. If you have nothing to show them, then just write a few humorous essays and lay it before the folds in their eyes. Or just start applying anywhere that you would like to work.
If you are out of shape then do the following. Find a hill with a sidewalk. Walk to the top of the hill. Now find a hill that is much farther. After about a week of walking the first hill, start walking the second hill. Do NOT go into the woods. No no no. Just walk on the side walk in town. You will start getting into shape. Did I tell you which athletic shoes to buy? Go online and find HOKA shoes. Pick out the shoe with the most cushioning. Buy it no matter the cost. You will float up those hills. I have HOKAS. They are a dream shoe.

Now buy some dumbbells and do curls. Just curls. Work up to 20 pounders. Start with 8 pounders. Go to ten pounders, then fifteen then twenty. Do three sets of fifteen curls with each dumbbell. Walk the hills every day. You will begin to take on some fabulous curves and muscles. Remember this. When you are breathing hard you are doing wonders for your health. So breathe hard all you can. Make your walking to be at least one hour per day. Your CURLS will take only about 25 minutes per time. Stand straight up and down and just curl those weights. Remember, you curl each weight 15 times. Those are called "reps." Or repetitions.

You will be doing three sets of 15 reps with each weight. That translates to taking your ten pounder and curling it 15 times. You do that THREE times. Three sets of 15 reps with each weight. Okay? Got it?

Now, go get a job at the local coffee house. That is where you can start. And build up from there.

I absolutely loved your description of your classmates and their jobs. You might have f**ked up, but not for long. We already know you have enough brains to loan out to micro-cephalics. So let's put them to work!!!